Collapsible switch-box.



T. A. LOFTUS.

COLLAPSIBLE SWITCH BOX. APPLICATION FILED OCT. 15 1915.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. A. LOFTUS.

COLLAPSIBLE SWITCH BOX.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. I5. m5.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

'1HOMAS A. LOFTUS, OF NEW BEDFORD, MASSACHUSETTS.

COLLAPSIBLE SWITCH-BOX.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed October 15, 1915. Serial No. 56,063.

To all whom it may concern Y Be it known that I, THOMAS A. LOFTUS, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Bedford, in the county of Bristol and. State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in C01- lapsible Switch-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The invention relates to a collapsible switch box.

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of switch boxes for use in walls and similar places and to provide a simple, practical and comparatively inexpensive switch box designed particularly for use in walls after the same have been lathed and plastered, sheathed or.

otherwise finished and capable of enabling the wires armored or otherwise to be brought through an opening in the wall and securely fastened to holes in the collapsible switch box while the same is in its collapsed condition, the box being adapted after the wires have been attached to be inserted through the opening in the wall, opened out to its full size and secured to the wall, thereby eliminating any defacement of the wall and enabling the switch to be installed in the regular way.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and pointed out in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible switch box constructed in accordance with this invention and shown open, Fig. 2 is a similar view the switch box being collapsed, Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, the parts being arranged as shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the same, Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4, Fig. 6 is a sectional view the box being collapsed as shown in Fig. 2.

In the accompanying drawings in which 15 illustrated the preferred embodiment of the invention, the collapsible switch box comprises in its construction two approxi-. mately U-shaped members 1 each consisting of an end wall 2 and spaced side sections 3 formed integral with the end wall 2 and preferably stamped from a single piece of stout sheet metal and provided at their rear edges with inwardly extending flanges it which limit the rearward movement of hinged sections 5 of the rear wall. The end walls are provided with openings 6 for the passage of the wires and thesections 3 of the side walls slide on each other in collapsmg and opening out the switch box. The

end walls 2 are provided at the front with flanges or lugs 7 having curved slots 8 and perforations 8 for the reception of screws or other suitable fastening means for securing the switch box to the wall of a house or other building. The sections 5 of the rear wall are cut and rolled to form alined eyes 9 and 10 located at the inner and outer edges of the sections 5, the eyes 9 at the outer edges alining with eyes 11 of the end wall and the eyes 10 at the inner edges of the sections 5 being alined with each other. The alined eyes are adapted to receive inner and outer pintle rods or pins 12 and 13. The hinged sections of the rear wall are adapted to fit against the flanges of the side sections, and the side walls are locked in their extended position by means of resilient tongues or catches ll fixed to the exterior of two of the sections 3 of the side walls and engaging slots 15 of the other sections whereby the switch box is locked in its extended position. The catches 14 automatically engage the slot 15 but any other suitable fastening means may of course be employed. The wires to be attached to the switch box are drawn through the opening in the wall and are secured to the switch box while the same is in its collapsed condition and is exterior of the wall. After the wires are at tached, the box is inserted while collapsed through the opening in the wall and is expanded interiorly thereof and is secured to the wall by screws or other suitable fastening devices which pass through the curved slots 8. After the switch box is securedwithin the wall it is adapted to have a switch installed in it in the usual manner. The catches 1% may be riveted or otherwise secured to the side wall sections and they have terminal lugs 16 for engaging the slots 15.

What is claimed is 1. A collapsible switch box including two approximately U-shaped members, each composed of an end wall and sidewall sections slidable on each other, and a rear wall composed of sections hingedly connected together and to the said members and means for securing the members within a wall.

2. A collapsible switch box including two approximately U-shaped members, each composed of an end wall and side wall sections slidable on each other, and a rear wall composed of sections hingedly connected together and to the said members, said side sections being provided with inward-1y extending flanges arranged to limit the movement of the hinged sections of the rear wall and means for securing the switch box within a wall.

3. A collapsible switch box including two approximately U-shaped members, each composed of an end wall and side wall sections slidable on each other, and a rear wall composed of sections hingedly connected together and to the said members, locking means for securing the side wall sections in their extended position and means for securing the box within a wall.

4. A collapsible switch box including two approximately U-shaped members, each composed of an end wall and side wall sections slidable on each other, and a rear Wall composed of sections hingedly connected together and to the said members, one of the sections of each side wall being provided with a slot and the other having a tongue carrying a terminal lug and adapted to engage the slot automatically and means for securing the switch box within a wall.

5. A switch box including two approximately U-shaped members eachcomposed of an end wall and side wall sections, the latter being provided with inwardly extending flanges and the end wall having openings for the passage'of wires and provided with attaching flanges, a rear wall composed of sections hinged together and to the end walls and arranged to fit against the said flanges and catches for automatically locking the sidewall sections in an extended position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' THOMAS A. LOFTUS.

\Vitnesses:

CHARLES V. GILMARTIN, FRANCIS J. COLLIGAN. 

